Phone scams target Central Florida residents with fake jury-duty calls

Gwen Rich received a terrifying phone call at her home a few weeks ago.

The man on the other end said he was with the warrants division of the Orange County Sheriff ’s Office and told Rich that she failed to appear for a federal grand-jury summons.

The caller then said Rich had two options: She could pay a $495 bond using a prepaid debit card, or be arrested and risk sitting in a jail cell for one to three weeks before seeing a judge.

“All he had to say was ‘federal grand-jury duty’ and I was terrified,” Rich said on Thursday.

About 50 people a month report similar phone scams to the Orange County Sheriff ’s Office, said Sheriff Jerry Demings.

“This is a constant battle for us,” Demings said.

Demings and Ninth Circuit Chief Judge Frederick Lauten on Thursday issued warnings about phone scams where callers claim to be from the courthouse, the IRS or immigration services.

People fall for the scams because their details sound legitimate, Lauten said.

The man who called Rich gave her the name of a sitting Ninth Circuit judge, a real law-enforcement officer, and a case number that was close to one actually used in Orange County.

But the phone number he gave Rich to call back with the prepaid debitcard information was not one being used by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. And other details did not make sense: Why would a state judge preside over a federal grand jury?

People who miss jury duty will never get a phone call demanding money, Lauten said. They will get a letter on official stationery, or a summons to appear before court.

“We would never call and threaten your immediate arrest,” Lauten said.

Orange County residents who receive suspicious phone calls can contact the Orange County Courthouse Jury Services division at 407-836-2206. Osceola County residents can call 407-742-2421.